Simplify your laptop buying
Windows XP: Laptop with media center or pro?
Laptop with media center or pro?
by aeidein - 6/1/06 4:32 PMHey, im getting ready to buy my laptop for college next year.
I am going to Notre Dame next year, and they said that they recommend that if you have windows, to make it XP pro. I have the choice between Media center and XP Pro to put on the laptop. I want to have Media center so I can link it to my xbox 360 and do all kinds of crazy stuff with it, but I am also worried that for some reason I may need XP pro. XP pro is also more expensive too. What should I do? Is there anything I would need XP Pro for? (I am premedicine... the only thing I would think that anybody would need XP pro would be for an engineering degree or something like that, they may need programs that can only run on Pro. But I'm no expert on this.)
And one more thing, my friend told me that I might be able to access media center features even if I was running XP pro. Is that true?
I'd ask the college...
by John.Wilkinson
- 6/1/06 5:42 PM
In reply to: Laptop with media center or pro? by aeidein
Windows XP Media Center edition includes the EFS (encrypting file system) and Remote Desktop, two of the most prominent features in XP Professional. However, it does NOT allow you to JOIN (become a member of) a domain, which is the only significant difference between it and XP Professional. You are still capable of accessing shared files on a local network, provided you do not have to be a member of the domain.
Now, you'll need to contact Notre Dame's IT department and ask if this is going to be a problem. If they require you to become a member of the domain in order to access shared resources, and that's something you'll have to do for your classes (check with your guidance counselor), then you'll need to get XP Professional. However, if you don't need to connect to the domain for your classes, or they don't require you to be a member, you're fine with MCE.
A side note as well: Some colleges/universities have an agreement with Microsoft such that all current students and faculty receive a free copy of Windows, Office, etc. If that's the case, order your laptop with MCE. Then you can save the extra money and use MCE on your own time. You could use Pro (get a copy from the college) during the academic year and MCE during summers, or, better yet, dual-boot the two OSes so that if you need to do school work boot to XP Pro, otherwise boot to MCE.
Hope this helps,
John
I'd say Pro
by jnbhoward - 6/1/06 6:14 PM In reply to: Laptop with media center or pro? by aeideinHaving Media Center on a laptop just seems pointless. If the school recommends Pro, there's usually a reason for it, and you'd be wise to heed their advice.
I Tend to Agree. Media Center Needs More Capacity in ....
by tobeach - 6/2/06 12:54 AM In reply to: I'd say Pro by jnbhowardhardware & memory. Laptops (because of space restrictions) tend to have less of RAM & HD(lots needed for DVDs etc) which can be upped but again the space & heat venting factors & battery usage limits might suggest Pro instead. 
this may help
by aeidein - 6/2/06 8:35 AM In reply to: Laptop with media center or pro? by aeideinIm still not completley sure about what to do, so I emailed the IT department.
Something that might help anyone else that replies is that the specifications emphasize that you are NOT supposed to bring XP home edition.
Also, for Macs, Notre Dame says it has to be running Mac OS 10.4.
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